1. The present invention relates generally to rural type mailboxes of the type having a door which is manually rotatable between closed and open positions to deposit mail into and/or remove mail from the mailbox
2. More particularly, the invention relates to rural type mailboxes in which there is provision for viewing the interior of the mailbox prior to the act of opening its door, and to kits and procedures suitable for converting a prior art mailbox to one providing the safety, convenience and other unique features and advantages afforded by the present invention.
1. For many years, the usual rural type mailbox has caused certain inconveniences and safety concerns for mail carriers and rural residents who are required to use such mailboxes for the delivery and reception of U.S. mail. The mailboxes must be mounted relatively close to the road or highway at a certain minimum height to assure convenient delivery of mail by the mail carrier. In many cases, however, such proximity to the roadway makes it difficult if not actually dangerous for a resident, when turning into his or her driveway, to stop long enough to open the mailbox door and retrieve any mail which may be in the box. Rather the resident must proceed on into the driveway, park, exit the car, walk back to the mailbox and then open the door of the mailbox and inspect the interior for the presence of mail. Not only does this force the resident to stand dangerously close to the road or highway while opening, inspecting and retrieving mail, but many times such action must be taken during inclement weather.
2. Probably of even greater concern is the uncertainty which is now felt by both mail carriers and residents when opening the door of a rural type mailbox because of the rash of mailbox bombings which have occurred since 2002. As is well known, of course, the concern became so great at one point that the U.S. Postal Service ordered that for delivery to be made the door of all rural type mailboxes either had to be removed or left open. Even aside from the mailbox bombings, however, it has not been uncommon from time to time over the years for residents to find snakes, rats, rocks and other undesirable or obnoxious objects in their mailboxes.
3. Applicant finds a number of proposals in the prior art for possible solutions to the above discussed problems as they relate to the usual rural type mailbox. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,474,543 and 4,244,512 teach mailboxes with transparent covers through which mail as well as internally disposed pictures or other fanciful objects may be viewed by the mail carrier and resident. As far as is known, however, such prior art structure have not met with any consumer interest or commercial success. Not only would many residents object if others could easily see names, addresses and other information on mail placed in their mailboxes, but any picture or other decorative object mounted therein could severely obscure vision into the box for both the resident, carrier and any curious onlooker.
4. Other prior attempts to provide viewing windows for the convenience of the carrier and/or resident also have failed to resolve the above discussed problems. U.S. Pub. No. 2002/0121543 A1 illustrates a mailbox in which all sides are transparent, with mail being inserted and removed through a slide window 26. As with the two patents discussed immediately above, however, many residents would find a mailbox of this nature quite objectionable because of the lack of privacy it would engender.
5. Illustrative of other attempts to provide some means of visibility include:
a) U.S. Pat. No. 3,107,848 shows a series of viewing holes along the sides of the box and a transparent rear wall which might make it somewhat easier for the resident to check for the presence of mail. It would not, however, resolve for the carrier, who normally does not have ready access to the back of the mailbox, the problem of a possible hidden bomb or other threat.
b) U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,113, proposes transparent rearward sections 52 and 58, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,711 shows a transparent rearward window 5. Such rearwardly oriented transparent sections and windows might be considered under certain circumstances to provide more convenient viewing for the resident and/or any curious bystander, but not for the carrier.
c) U.S. Pat. No. 2,561,007 shows a transparent receptacle 28 positioned below the main body of the mailbox, which receptacle is useful only to alert the carrier to the presence of mail to be picked up. This receptacle would be of no real value, however, in terms of warning either the carrier or the resident against any possible danger associated with movement of the door 10.
d) U.S. Design Pat. No. D471,691 illustrates a rural type mailbox having along the bottom of each longitudinal side thereof a observational window. While observational windows of the type and location shown in this patent might be found useful to one approaching the mailbox from the side in determining the presence or absence of mail, it would not reliably indicate to either a carrier or resident approaching from the front or back thai the mailbox contained no harmful or obnoxious objects.
6. In contrast to all of the prior art discussed above, applicant""s new and novel mailbox structure, whether newly manufactured or converted from a prior product, gives both the carrier and resident a clear and full view of the entire interior of the mailbox prior to any need to touch or open the mailbox""s access door. At the same time, it preserves the resident""s privacy since only one end (not the face) of any mail in the mailbox is exposed.
A. The general aim of the present invention is to provide significantly improved safety and convenience in the use of rural type mailboxes by carriers and residents.
B. Detailed objectives of the invention are:
1. To provide a rural type mailbox with a clear transparent access door through which, without loss of privacy, the entire interior of the mail box can be inspected quickly and conveniently by both the carrier and resident before any contact with the mailbox or any action to open the access door.
2. The provision of a kit of components by which the usual rural type mailbox can be converted easily and conveniently into a mailbox having a clear transparent access door through which, without loss of privacy, the entire interior of the mail box can be inspected quickly and conveniently by both the carrier and resident before any contact with the mailbox or any action to open the access door.
3. To provide a process by which a kit of components can be assembled with the usual rural type mailbox to easily and conveniently provide that mailbox with a clear transparent access door through which the entire interior of the mail box can be inspected quickly and conveniently without loss of privacy and before any contact with the mailbox or any action to open the access door.
4. To provide a rural type mailbox with a clear transparent access door formed of a long lasting polycarbonate resin having extreme toughness, strength, dimensional and physical stability, and resistance to weathering and other forms of stress or abuse.
C. These and other objectives and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.